Title: The Reason I Stay
Author: patty Maximini
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: September 9, 2014
Add to: Goodreads
Synopsis
Jack Daniels is the cure to all evils.
Sex should be casual and, preferably, anonymous.
Giving a damn is for nurses, philanthropists and suicide hotlines.
My name is Mathew Rogers and those are the values I built my adult life around. They are also the reason I had to forsake everything I loved in Seattle and embark on a solitary road trip across the country, with no direction other than searching for the next small town, the next girl, and the closest liquor store.
Boredom, frustration and a series of unfortunate decisions led me to the rickety-ass town of Jolene, Alabama—a town I wanted to leave behind from the moment I passed the welcome sign. But it was there where I met her. The girl who made me question everything I’ve always believed in, and the only one who has ever had the power to break my heart.
Her name is Lexie.
She’s beautiful, and I’m pretty sure she hates me.
And for once in my life, I give enough of a damn that I keep finding a reason to stay.
My Review
The book opens up with us meeting hottie bad boy Matt Rogers.
Matt is taking a break from life, chicks, drinking and his privileged lawyer life
in Seattle. We soon discover that this break isn’t exactly his choice. Matt has
been pretty much exiled by his father due to his bad boy-who gives a shit way
of life. A way of like that draws nothing but bad publicity for him and family.
He’s been forced to drift from place to place for the last 4 months while is
father and his people attempt damage control, for major life altering oooppppss on Matt's part.
When we meet the moody, bad boy he’s had enough of drifting and
is ready to head home, but with an unanswered phone call and a decision that
fate is telling him its not time to go back yet, he decides to let fate take
over. Deciding that the next place mentioned on the radio will determine his
final stop. Matt ends up in Jolene Alabama…the smallest town pretty much ever!
Matt pulls up in this one horse town in his fancy Maserati-Greta,
his money, bad mood, an even shittier attitude and with the idea to keep moving on
from Jolene as fast as he can. Despite what fate may have in store.
But what finds in this
little town is the last thing he expects…
Meet Lexington Blake
Lexi is a waitress who happens to get stuck serving Mr. Moody
while he stops in to eat at the Jukebox restaurant on his way though. She's
adorable! She’s all chocolate chips hold
magic powers and no one’s going to ruin my day, everything is all happy.
Until she serves Matt of course! Matt is a complete asshole to
her, but she calls him out on his behaviour and doesn’t put up with his crap. I
instantly love her and her take no shit attitude!
As he leaves and is driving we see Matt’s attitude take a
turn…Lexi has clearly struck a nerve and has most definitely made an impression
on our brooding bad boy. After
reflecting on the things she has said Matt grows a conscience and decides to
return to Jolene to apologize to Lexi in person. Matt decides that he may just
want more than to apologize to Lexi.
He decides he wants her.
Matt trying to win over Lexi makes for some awesome reading! He’s
weaved himself into her daily life and into the lives of the people she
considers family. Lexi does not make it easy for him at all. I found myself
grinning many times at his flustered state and cheering on her while she tried
to resist his persistence and oh so sexy ways. But of course resistance is
futile and Lexi grows feeling for Matt after getting to know him and letting
her guard down.
Once Lexi and Matt give in to the idea that they are definitely
attracted to one another the story and heat meter picks up, but just not enough for
me, I could have done with a bit more hot and heavy moments. And I do have to note that Matt and Lexi’s
feelings for each other grew kind of fast for me, making some parts a bit
unrealistic and hard to believe in my opinion. But with that being said the
story is still sweet with enough swooning little moments to make you
smile.
And with such likable characters
its easy to let them get away with the rushed loved!
★★☆ 3.5 Stars ☆★★
Review by Gillian Grybas
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Great review, Gillian! This sounds like a sweet romance even if the hot factor could have gone up a notch. Glad you liked it overall! :)
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